Bow hunting has become an increasingly popular and competitive sport. As a result there is a demand for better equipment. A good quiver is as important to the serious bow hunter as the bow itself. Protecting arrows is no longer the only function of a good quiver. A quiver must also be light-weight, durable, capable of storing each arrow to prevent damage to the fletched end, and a quiver must be designed for the quiet and efficient removal of arrows while game hunting.
Generally, arrows have a long straight shaft, a pointed tip at one end and fins made of feathers at the opposite end, called the fletched end. The feathers affect the flight path of the arrow. They are delicate and can be easily bent, separated or crushed. Additionally, exposure to foul weather and precipitation such as rain, sleet and snow can cause the feathers to become matted down making the arrow unusable.
The traditional sleeve-shaped quiver for arrows did not prevent damage to the arrows caused by jostling of the arrows inside the quiver. Newer quivers have been designed to protect the arrows from contact damage by securing the arrows independently of each other at both the point and fletched ends. However, these quivers are open at the top and leave the arrows exposed to the environment. Standard quivers do nothing to protect the arrows from the elements or damage occurring during normal use.
Rotating enclosed quivers have been proposed as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,088 to Ruble (1997). The disclosed quiver has a rotator lid which is manually turned to position arrows inside the quiver. However, to be of practical use to a hunter, a back worn quiver must be a "hands-free" design so that it does not distract the hunter while hunting and shooting.
Thus, there is a need for a quiver which can protect the arrows from damage inside the quiver, shield the arrows from foul weather, and position and deliver arrows for use automatically without any distraction to the archer or hunter.